Taxi Driver Online

This post has been copied and pasted from the news source, (as opposed to url linking to the source), following a sober & compos mentis request from Captain Cab, citing valid reasons for doing so. I will endeavour to conform to these standards for my future news posts.

Always happy to oblige Captain.


Cabbies Win Taxi Fare Battle

22nd August 2008

Controversial plans to increase taxi fares in Waveney have been scrapped amid opposition from local companies.

Waveney District Council had previously agreed to put up fares due to concerns from the taxi trade about rising fuel costs, but a consultation into the changes sparked a flurry of objections from other taxi operators.

The council's licensing committee met on Tuesday night to make a final decision and it was agreed that the increases would not go ahead and prices would be pegged at the current level.

John Lock, who owns Lowestoft-based Five One taxis, said the decision was hugely important for his company and a price hike could have put people off using the service.

“I think the council has finally seen sense. In the current climate I think it's the right thing to do as fuel prices are going down, and I feel that if fares go up it would have a negative effect on business.”

“It's a vicious circle - our workload would have decreased and drivers would have had to work longer hours, which is not safe.”

The council had previously voted in favour of a fare increase for the first mile from £3.20 to £3.30 (3.1pc) with the percentage increasing the more miles travelled, resulting in an increase for a 10-mile trip from £24.80 to £27.60 (11.3pc).

A letter counter-signed by nineteen people suggested during the consultation that the cost of a one mile journey go up, but any further miles would be cheaper, while five people objected to any increase at all. Three people backed all or some of the increases voted for in June and 196 drivers did not respond.

Mr Lock said: “You can price yourself out of the market. Sometimes you have to look at costings, be sensible and absorb some of those costs. Fuel prices are part of our costs but only a small part. The decision is sensible and good for us in the long run.”

Waveney District Councillor Kathleen Grant, chairman of the licensing committee, said: “We are keeping the fares as they are and they will be reviewed again in due course. All responses were taken into account and the taxi drivers in general did not seem to want the fare increase.

“Petrol prices are coming down but we are keeping an eye on things and will consider the increase again if and when it is needed, according to petrol prices and the cost of living,” added Mrs Grant.

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

Cheers brummie....that light blue type is awful tho

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

You need to credit the source as well

_________________

http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

What about newspaper copyrights, which I have always been worried about when posting on TDO?

Most happy to oblige on that too, as long as it does not create problems.

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

I always feel if they have put something on the net, they aren't bothered about who copies it, so long as they are credited as the source.
I could be wrong though.

_________________

http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

The article isnt that clear....but if the companies are PH why are they objecting to HC increases?

As my new bestest buddy skip said in a previous thread....the fare set by the LA is the maximum.

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I don't get this? Meter = Maximum fare?

This outfit has in the region of 40 hackney cabs on their circuit and no private hire. I suppose that's understandable when the authority is deregulated. A mini one tier system you might say?

If we do the maths it would appear that out of 223 drivers or perhaps a combination of both drivers and owners, 22 were against, 3 were in favour and 198 were apathetic?

By the way just for the record Mr Lock the owner of the radio circuit doesn't drive a cab.

Regards

JD

_________________
Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

So a completely unlicensed person is operating a 'taxi' firm


CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin